Arrest warrants have been issued for Jalen Carter, a potential top-five pick in the upcoming NFL draft, in connection with a January car crash that killed two people, including a teammate at the University of Georgia, hours after the team’s parade to win the national championship. championship
The Athens-Clarke County Police Department said Wednesday that Carter, who had not previously been publicly connected to the crash, ran his Jeep Trackhawk into a Ford Expedition driven by Chandler LeCroy, a recruiting analyst for the team
The cars were speeding and driving recklessly, according to the police report. The Expedition was traveling about 100 miles per hour when it crashed, killing LeCroy, 24, and Devin Willock, 20, a redshirt sophomore on the team. Toxicology reports indicated that LeCroy was intoxicated at the time of the crash.
The arrest warrants charge Carter with reckless driving and speeding. The charges are misdemeanors.
Carter, 21, a defensive tackle, is considered one of the top prospects heading into April’s NFL draft and has been widely projected to be a top-five pick.
He had been scheduled to speak to the media at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis on Wednesday morning, but did not show up. The league said it would not be available for comment later in the day. Carter’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
“The charges announced today are deeply troubling,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said in a statement, “especially as we are still struggling to come to terms with the devastating loss of two beloved members of our community.”
News of the warrants was first reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which said Carter had given conflicting statements to police about his whereabouts at the time of the crash.
The accident happened in Athens, Georgia, in the early morning hours of January 15. LeCroy’s vehicle left the road and struck poles and trees, according to police. Two other passengers in the car were injured.
Emmanuel Morgan i Chris Rhim contributed reporting from Indianapolis.
